Friday, August 5, 2011

Okra is a very versatile vegetable, good in gumbos and other soups and stews. It can be pickled, baked, fried or boiled, and the seeds can even be used as a coffee substitute.The pale yellow flowers, strong foliage, and red stems of ‘Hill Country Red’ okra make a statement as a dominant row crop in the EdibleGarden this season.We’re knee deep in okra and encouraging every participating chef to work it into their dishes.They all agree that the ‘Hill Country Red’ variety is large but tender and tastes just as good raw in a salad as grilled for a side dish.

A warm season vegetable, okra is a staple in the South, thriving in full sunlight (eight hours minimum). It should be planted two or three weeks after the last frost, which is usually late April or early May.

This recipe features fresh okra and patty pan squash, grown here in the EdibleGarden. The Vidalia onions add a touch of sweetness and the tomatoes a splash of color.

Some people object to the texture of cooked okra, finding it too “slimy,” but according to Garden Chef Megan McCarthy, the less you cut okra the less slimy it will be. Another trick is to buy it fresh and use it quickly.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Edible Garden

Showcasing the farm-to-table concept of cultivating and consuming fresh, local and sustainably-grown food, the Edible Garden project not only returns the 1-acre asphalt parking lot to green space but also demonstrates that fruits and vegetables make beautiful landscape plants.
The garden includes an Outdoor Kitchen where Atlanta's top chefs will present cooking demonstrations using garden ingredients. On weekends, the Garden Chef demonstrates seasonal recipes using ingredients harvested straight from the Edible Garden. And, as for those leftovers go, any food not used in educational programs will be donated to local charities.